Solar panels – money saver or scam?

The solar system is increasingly becoming the most popular source of energy that meets the requirements of the sustainable resource while having the unique advantages of saving money & making money! Today, we are going to discuss every “What” “Why” and “How” of solar energy.

Bonus:Tips to get the absolute best out of the Solar thing!

Content List

Understanding solar energy

Why solar now?

Does solar really save money?

Motivate yourself!

What is “quote” and why it’s important?

Tips to get the absolute best out of the Solar thing!

Let’s face it! I can’t argue against the unequivocally hard to swallow the truth that solar systems do save money. However, an approach without proper planning might make the saving come to you slowly. So, let’s get to know the FUTURE of our energy solution!

Understanding Solar Energy

Solar energy is recognized as an alternative to traditional energy. Recent developments in the field of solar energy have led to a renewed interest in making solar power a permanent resource to quench our thirst of energy supply. In a layman’s term, solar energy is simply converting sunlight into electricity or heat. Currently, two systems are being used to harness suns power and convert it to energy.

One, to be deliberately brief, Solar Thermal Heating method is used to convert sunlight into heat. Two, Solar PV Panel system is, as commonly known, installing solar panels either as tiles or fixed panels usually on the roof of houses. Exposed to the direct sunlight the panels convert the energy into electricity and store it in batteries or power grids to be used later on.

Why solar now?

Perhaps the best answer to this question has been given by the Tesla tycoon Ellon Musk, the man behind the solution to South Australia’s energy problem, as he said in an interview:

“Why solar? Well, as Musk explained, as far as energy sources go, we can count on solar to come through for us: “People talk about fusion and all that, but the sun is a giant fusion reactor in the sky. It’s really reliable. It comes up every day. If it doesn’t, we’ve got bigger problems.”

Rather than reasoning out and bragging why solar energy should be preferred, let’s go through a few points that make it stand out from other sources like Fossil Fuels, Wind power, and Hydroelectricity.

Surely, wind power and hydroelectricity have an advantage over solar power when it comes to efficiency and capacity factor but both of them required very specific conditions such as dedicated land area or location and maintenance. Solar panels, on the other hand, require much less effort and maintenance to actually make practical sense.

Moreover, solar panels give unconventional control directly to the individual consumer. A person with a house can easily install them and control how much power or energy to generate and use. Considering the commotions and somewhat “control-energy-control-entity” approach among nations that revolve around energy business, this particular quality that solar panels entail is truly outstanding.

At Powerhouse Solar, we help make solar power easy to understand, we custom design your system to suit your needs, not break your budget. Leave your details below and we’ll give you a call to chat.

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Energy costs

Cost evaluation for solar energy is not similar to the typical electricity cost evolution in any way. Conventional electricity bill is paid monthly and the bill varies depending on the uses. For solar panels, it depends heavily on the consumer’s investment on the solar installation package. The higher you invest in the system equipment such as the quality of the PV panels, the storage capacity and its quality, the cheaper the cost per kWh will be. Uniquely complex, right?

Let’s take a different approach and make sense of the solar cost. We are going to compare the cost by cent/kWh. Typically, an average grid-based electricity consumer of Sydney pays 22 to 30 cents per kWh with usual higher charges going up to 52 cents between 2 pm and 8 pm. Now, if we pick the string system and use the ballpark figure, it will cost 6000 Australian dollars for the system and an additional 2000 Australian dollar for repair and replacements. Over 25 years of lifetime, if the system produces 156,600 kWh of energy, the cost comes down at 5.7 cents per kWh. (This approximate calculation is based on one of the many solar installation options available at various price points) source.

I believe you are stunned by the cost difference here and might consider taking a minute or two to let the truth sink in!

No worries for the future!

As long as the sun comes up energy supply is never going to end for a single minute. Free and endless resource.

Environmental impact

Though we have gotten used to the fact that fossil fuel energy generation has been placing an incomprehensible toll on our environment to meet the demand of our modern lifestyle, slowly but surely our lives are being affected by it. With the solar energy, we can literally stop worrying about affecting our environment as it has zero negative impact. It’s clean!

Fuel for future vehicles

Electric vehicles beat combustion engine-based vehicles in terms of the Price of products, maintenance, efficiency, and security even. Electric vehicles are the future without a doubt. A home based charging station is all we need to keep up with rapid changing world.

Solar panels are generally low maintenance

The Energy Saving Trust says little maintenance is required on a properly installed, well-designed solar PV system, though you’ll likely need to replace the inverter – a gadget which is a key part of the mechanism – within about 25 years.

The good news is inverters and other equipment that might be necessary to keep the solar system up and running is surprisingly convenient to manufacture in large quantities. Most of the companies involved in solar panel making business provide on an average 20 years of warranty. I wonder, how big a hassle it would be to change something that costs around 2000 Australia dollars now which possibly will cost even less as the business and competition grow?

Does solar really save money?

At this point, there should be no doubt about whether solar power saves you money. As we have sorted out the cost of conventional electricity compared to the cost of solar earlier makes it a no-brainer to understand the cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainable nature of solar energy.

So yes, solar power saves money!

If you are still not entirely convinced of solar powers benefits then here is another prospect to install solar panels at your rooftop if not only for the unlimited low-cost electricity supply.

**Solar is one single investment for ensuring electricity supply and for a hassle-free business to make money for life!**

Yes, you read it right! You can not only save money you can actually make money out of solar energy installation.

Wondering How? Here is the secret:

You can sell your unused or extra energy to the Grid for a little more than the purchase price.

The feed-in tariff is a process through which you can sell your unused energy to the grid at a predefined price tag that you will get when purchasing the solar energy system. Solar revenue margin depends on your feed-in tariff arrangement with the electricity supplier and arrangements vary greatly between states and territories and electricity suppliers. Most feed-in tariffs are ‘net’ arrangements where you’re paid for each unit (kWh) of electricity you can add to the grid.

Moreover, the government has also made it more affordable to install solar panels by the introduction of their small-scale technology emissions trading scheme.

According to the Clean Energy Council, the average Australian household consumes about 18kWh of electricity every day. A 1-2 kW solar PV system could potentially reduce your overall energy bill by approximately a third. And that’s a safe estimate. A solar heating system can increase the savings even further. (Source)

The factors on which Household electricity bill savings depend on:

Your household electricity consumption.

The size of your solar electricity system.

The location of your home; since sunlight availability throughout the day may vary.

Your feed-in tariff.

STCs. Small-scale technology certificates are a government rebate. You’re allocated a number of certificates based on the size of your PV solar system and the location of your house. which is a type of digital currency worth about $40. STCs can be sold on the STC market or given to a third party like their solar retail company for a discount on the solar system and installation costs. The government lets people claim their STCs in advance by calculating expected power generation over the next 5, 10 or 15 years. Here’s an example!

Motivate yourself!

Aside from the money you can earn through the Feed-in Tariff and savings on your energy bills, solar panels have plenty of other benefits that make them a worthwhile investment.

Solar panels are rock solid. Solar panels are not that easily broken and usually have about 25 years of guarantee.

Solar panels cost remarkably less than past years. Due to competitions, improvement in manufacturing technology and serious research supports made them around 70% cheaper that last decade. Trends indicate it will cost even less in future.

Solar panels can increase your property’s value. This is because Cash earned from the FiT goes to the homeowner, so if you move house the new owner will take over the remainder of the FiT payments.

those who already own solar system installed can reinvest and make even more out of these projects as small businesses.

Convinced that you should consider a solar system to save? Take action now.

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What is “quote” and why it’s important?

Quotes are basically package offers that solar system installers provide to the homeowners or customers. When you receive multiple solar energy quotes from installers, you can compare equipment choices, financing options, and solar company reviews to find the installation quote that best suits your needs.

Solar panel brands and models

There are more than 100 different solar panel brands and many models within each brand. Each panel has specifications related to size, design, efficiency, durability, and warranty, among others. All of these specifications impact solar panel quality. Solar installers will provide you with solar panel quotes that feature different models; by comparing your options, you will be able to find the best solar panel value for your home.

Inverter types and brands

Solar panels capture solar energy as direct current (DC), but almost all households run on alternating current (AC). Inverters convert DC electricity to AC electricity and are included as part of every solar energy system. There are three types of inverters, and multiple inverter manufacturers; the inverter that you choose depends on the specifics of your property.

Solar financing options

Don’t feel like paying in cash for your solar system? Financing options are there for you.

Financing options include:

The solar loan, which you can use to finance your purchase of a solar energy system.

The solar lease, in which you pay a fixed monthly payment to “rent” your system from a third-party owner.

The solar power purchase agreement (PPA), where you agree to pay a low per-kilowatt-hour rate for electricity produced by a third-party owned system installed on your property.

System design

How your solar panels are configured on your roof can impact the amount of solar power you generate, as well as how your system will look from the ground. Compare each design patterns and ask your installers about their reasons for any differences.

Solar company reviews

Having a trusted, professional relationship with your installer is important to ensure that you install the best solar power system for your home.

Tips to get the absolute best out of Solar!

Feel like an expert solar system buyer with these tips:

Act now! the feed-in tariff is reduced every 3 months so, make more before you lose the opportunity.

Get the angle of the solar panels right while installing them because you will need as much sunlight as possible shining upon the panels.

Focus on the number of panels you install.

Reinvest the money you make from your solar panels. Consider putting it into an ISA, savings account or bond. Doing so will enable you to receive interest on these earnings, and increase how much money you make.

When planning to install solar panels, make a plan for energy storing battery as well.

Use your solar system smartly by leaving tasks, like washing, that require high energy when the sunlight is bright.

Select your solar system based on your possible uses. Use online calculators to sort out the best PV system for you. Average Australian households can meet their needs with a 5kW system. However, if you can afford it then bigger is always better.

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The advertised price is available subject to Zone 3 STCs rebate and assigning the rights to us for Creating STCs. The price is for standard, Pitched, Tin Roof house having single phase switchboard unless specified 3 phase. Energy Provider / Level 2 electrician’s charge for connection is not included. Installation on other types of roof and switchboards attract extra charges, Travel charges apply after 50km from Prestons.